Pneumatic spring for vehicles.



R. LIEBAU.

PNEUMATIC SPRING FOR VEHICLES.

y APPLIGATION FILED JAN.21, 1908y RENBWED MAB..Q,1910. 1,046,091

Patented Deo. 3, 1912.

2 BHEETSSHBBT 1.

E, ME

APPLIUATION FLLED JAL 1,046,091.

Patented Dec. 3, i912.

z SHEETS-SHEET z.

y of the compression chamber. but inr 5,0`

sure into similar Inner Wall ot the cylinder. I

able inlY sliding joint which TTEJV' YORK, ASSIGNDRTO THE PATENT oFFIon WESTINGHQUSE 1F53', iflQRPOl-ATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

TESC Sl? Application filed January 9,1, 19GB, Serial No. 411.898. Renewed March lle it ks'iown'that i., lticriann Linx-inn, a citizen i the lluiicd Sta' reeidingat lVa# tcrvliel, in 'the countv oilE Albany, Siate of New -`York, have in ,d new and useful Improvean-nts in ?neumatic Springs for Vehicles, ot' which t cation. K

My present invention relates to improvements in hydrll-pneiinlatic compression devices ot the type in which a compression chamber is used in coinbifiatien with a movable plunger or piston adapted 'for relative Sliding movement in said chan'iber to vary the volume and hereby the pressure of an elastic illiid or gas, sach as air. ln the forni .shown :in the drawing the device is particulnrly adapted for use a spring support for vehicles such as automobiles. The success ofV such' uponthe tightness of the sliding joint laA ,weon the relatively mov-- anu one oil the objects of my vention is to provide an alleinetal a der! dep-ends present in lng verv high 'in long periods without` lealtin i d. l ol this kind it,

has been prop sed to accomplir-sh this par pose by means .of a metal circuniterential wall made very thin at the edge so that such edge may be xpandcd into conta with, the interior oic the conniression cylimler.

I have discoveree'l that in the above dcscribed devices the prior art the metal edge when made thin enough to be capable ojifthe necess ry amount of expansion does not atl'ord a suiiicientiy wide bearing surface and hence leaks iu case ol" slightest imperfection in workmanship or undue strain upon the "land when when carefully made and operated without sidestrain the su'iall bearing surtacecauses the edge to quickly wear away enough elasticity insutlicient to maintain tigl'itness of the joints at all points in the periphery.

ly present invention consists of an imof the metal packing 1s the extreme edge maintainedfin Contact addition a relatively wide cylindrical surface in the religot' the edge is also expanded the pres; intimate contact with the prefer to effect is capable oit withstand-V Spectlcatc-n of Letters Patent.'

he following a specitlthe socket member of said metal so that the with the interior wall lvided with a check valve, not shown, which "Socket 5,

.eine non v-nnlcrns.

Patented Dec. 3, 1912. 9, 1910. serialvNo. 548,261.

by-means of fluid presi the expansion solely means may be 1m`partsure though positive ed if desired,

By my invent-ion I make the perfectly fitting part of the expanded wall as wide as may be desired so that. there is broad suiface bearing instead of a narrow edge bearing.

A further sists in forming the thin metal edge above described as part of an integral metal cup llling the entire cross sect-ion of the cylinder.

Referring to the drawings :`Figure 1 is a central vertical section. Fig. 2 is a detail section of the iiston. Fig. 3 a central vertical section ci a modified form of spring. Fig. -l a detail section of the piston shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 iswa detail-vertical section of another modified form of the piston.

In the drawings in which like numerals of reference denotelike parts throughout the several views, 1', represents one. end ofI an axle of a vehicle and 2, a wheel thereon A sleeve 3, is rigidly secured to the axle and on the top of the sleeve a bracket 1l, is seated having a socket 5, preferably semi-spherical in shape, and provided with a cover 6 having a circular hole 7, therethrough.

H, is a hollow piston rod, with a lubricant, and having a ball 9 at its lower end which is seated said ball having a lubricant hole therethrough by which lubricant is supplied to the socket. per portion of the piston is the ball member O, of a universal joint, which is preferably holloi and lled with a lubricant, and 11, is joint in which said ball member is seated and turns, said feature ot' myiuvention con-l preferably filled' and turns in the l Slidably mounted on the upsocket member 11, being mounted on the t 'aine 12 of a vehicle and .provided with l ubricating holes 13and a lubricant cup 14. An air tight cylinder 15 is screwed into the upper portion ofthe universal joint and is closed at its upper end by means of a screw cap or cover 16.

The ycompressed air inlet pipe 17 isA pro# may be of any well known form.

18, is a gage,'which may known form,` by l sure of the compressed .air in ,t-hpylinder indicated. Y l

also be of any' wellf; which the amount of pres'-V ball member 10, of the I A plato 1) is inminlidlon vthe top o'l the pislon rod and has'a lugextending down iutothe piston rod and on impot this plate 'is mounted the piston 20, which is cup-shaped and made ot' thin resilienteleel,or other similar material, with the. inner surface ot' its sides 21, tapered shown al 2z, lo a very thin edge 221. so that when liquid under pressure .in the cylinder is forced therein the. sides and edges u'ill lafexpanded against the. in? ner surface ot 'the cylinder and thereby al perfectly air tight joint between the piston and the cylinder will be produced.

24, indicates oil which, preferably entirely fills the cup-shaped. piston and a portion ot' the cylinder 15, the balance ot' the spatev above the oil being iilled withcompressed air. i l

The piston being made of a single piece of thiny resilient material every part of the saine will be affected andexpanded when the air under pressure forces the oil into the saine, and the edges being thinner than the body ot the piston will be expanded to a greater dcgree than the said body and will contact so intimately vwith the. inner surface of the cyl indery that it Will'be impossible for any liuid to pass between said' edge and the oyliiuler.

The'piston may be spun, pressed or other; Wise't'ornied into the desired Shay. e.

In the modified form of springs-bonn vin Figi 3 of the drawings,i 12L represents one end of an axleot a, vehicle and 2, a wheel thereon. A sleeve 3R, is rigidly securedto the axle and ontop of said sleevea bracket 4E, is seated having a'soekot 5, provided,

With a cover 6?, hayingfa hole T therethrough and packing; Sa, between said socket and eov'er.f 9, is the eylindeishaving its lower end rounded or ball shaped, and seated in the socket The piston in this iiistance isv made much longer than the 'one shown lollig; l, andis inverted and lits closely Within vthe 'cylinder 9a, said piston Comprisiirga hollow resilient tube 10a, haw ing vits sidesll tapered, at the lower end portion thereof, shown at 12, 'lo ja. very thin edge 13,` so that when 'liquid' under pressure is forced `therein said sides and edrgeexwill be expanded and provide an air and liquid ti ght `ioiu t between said piston and the eyliin'ler. The upper end ot the piston is closed hv means o'l" a screw cap or cover 14.1, which is provided with 'a rounded or ball shaped top 1W,V which is-Seated in a sooliet 16"-, formed in a braeketl'i', extending upward from the frame 18, ot a ver hicle. A set screw 19a, passes through a hole 201, in the bracket 17, and is screwed into a hole 20h in the rounded top '159. A. groove 21"', tor lubricant is 'formed in the outer surface oit the piston.

ln. the niodil'ied forni of piston shown in' lifr. 5, ofthe drawingslla, is the pistony which. is oupshapedand iliade otl-ef-iilient l material, preferably steel, and has a rounded bottom 28, and sides 2l, tapered as shown at. Q51, to a thin edge 26a.

ln use oil or sonie other comparatively incompressible i'luid is first placed in the eyl inder and the top or cover placed thereon, then air under pressure, orsoine other highly colupressible lluid introduced into the cylinder through the inlet pipe 1T as shown in Fig'. ly ot' the drawings. The oil being substantially incompressible the pressure caused by the upward movement ot the piston, which in turn is caused by solaio obstacle in the road coming incont'aet with the wheels ot' the vehicle, is at once transsaid oil into the piston and the piston being i'nade ot thin resilient material thereby expanded and its edge being xnurh thinner than the body thereof expands 'to a ater degree and makes a liquid and :1.1 tight joint between the inner surface of the piston andthe cylinder. As soon as the excess of pressure removed the elasticity oi' the air ivill restore the piston lo its normal position. Xs the springs tahtup or eoinpensate 'Iorall shocks, jolts, ete., tansinitted to the ieliiele solid rubber tires or any other hind inay be used, thus obviatinf; the use ot' pneumatic tires. v

ln the modiliecl form ot piston shown in Figs. and 4l the compressed air is introduced through the hole 20 in the rounded top 15 of the piston 10a.

l. do notdesire to be lunderstood limitinginyselt to the .specific details of construcion and arrangement as .herein described v and illustrated, as it is manifest thatyariations and modifications may be made in the features of construction and arrangementen the adaptation oi the device to various eonditions of use Without departing,r from the spirit and scope of my invention and iinprovenients. I therefore reserve the rig-ht to all such variations and modifications as properly fall within .the scope ot' my invention and tlie terms of the following claims.

l. A pneumatic spring for. vehicles, oomprising 'a cylinder, a. cup shaped piston having substantially straight sides which are resilient throughout, substantially as described.

pri'sing a cylinder', a cup shaped piston the sides and bottom of which -are continuous, and said sides being;r substantially straight described.

A pneumatic Spi-ingrI tor vehieles, oomprising a cylinder, a cup shaped piston. havius: substantially vertical sides and substanuous said sides being resilient throughout their entire: extent and having their edges iuitt'ed to the oil or other liquid and forces 2` A pneumatic spring for vehicles, corn` and resilient throughout, substantially as.

tially horizontal bottoni which are eontin,

ias

sides being resilient throughout their entire Letters Patent No. 1,046,091.

Correction extent, substantially as described.

5. 'A pneumatic spring for vehicles, comprising a' cylinder, a piston having sides which are resilient throughout their entire extent, anda 4piston rod provided with a lplate on which said piston is mounted, said plate being mounted loosely cn the top of "said piston rod, substantially as described.

6. A pneumatic spring for vehicles, comprising a cylinder, an imperforate .resilient lcup shaped piston having substantially vertical sides which are resilient throughout theirA entire extent, substantially asl described.

7. pneumatic spring for vehicles, comrising' a cylinder, designed to contain' quids under pressure, a 'piston rod provided with 'a plate, a resilient cup shaped piston mounted on but separate from said plate, said piston having its sides tapered l a thin edge, substantially as described.

improvement in Pneumatic Springs for the Patent Otce.

[SEAL] It is hereby certified that inY Letters Patent No. 1,046,091, granted December 3 8. AV pneumatic spring for vehicles, cornprisinga cylinder containing liquid under pressure, a piston rod, a plate loosely seated on said piston rod, a hollow piston mounted loosely in said cylinder and held on said plate and in Contact with the inner surface of said cylinder by means of the pressure of the said liquid under pressure, substantially as described.

9. A pneumatic spring for vehicles, comprising a hollow piston rod having a ball and socket joint at its lower end, a ball member of a universal joint slidably mounted on said piston rod, a socket in which said ball member is seated, a cylinder mounted in the top of the ball member, and a hollowr resilient piston mounted on said piston rod in said cylinder, and means for expanding said piston against the inner surface of .said cylinder to form a tight joint, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof- I have signed my name in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

` RICHARD LIEBAU.

Witnesses: i'

' Ronn'r P. REID,

LANSING VAN AUKEN.

1912, upon the application ol Richard Liebau, ot Water-vliet, New York, for an Vehicles, an error'appears in the printed specification requiring` ..anrrectiou es follows: Page 2, line`67, for the referencenumeral 28aY read 25?, anditiiat tbc said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may/conform to the record of4 the'case in Signed and sealed'this 31st day of December, A. D., 1912.

c. c. siLLiNGs,

Acting' Commissione?" of Patents.

sides being resilient throughout their entire Letters Patent No. 1,046,091.

Correction extent, substantially as described.

5. 'A pneumatic spring for vehicles, comprising a' cylinder, a piston having sides which are resilient throughout their entire extent, anda 4piston rod provided with a lplate on which said piston is mounted, said plate being mounted loosely cn the top of "said piston rod, substantially as described.

6. A pneumatic spring for vehicles, comprising a cylinder, an imperforate .resilient lcup shaped piston having substantially vertical sides which are resilient throughout theirA entire extent, substantially asl described.

7. pneumatic spring for vehicles, comrising' a cylinder, designed to contain' quids under pressure, a 'piston rod provided with la plate, a resilient cup shaped piston mounted on but separate from said plate, said piston having its sides tapered l a thin edge, substantially as described.

improvement in Pneumatic Springs for the Patent Otce.

[SEAL] It is hereby certified that inY Letters Patent No. 1,046,091, granted December 3 8. AV pneumatic spring for vehicles, comprisinga cylinder containing liquid under pressure, a piston rod, a plate loosely seated on said piston rod, a hollow piston mounted loosely in said cylinder and held on said plate and in Contact with the inner surface of said cylinder by means of the pressure of the said liquid under pressure, substantially as described.

9. A pneumatic spring for vehicles, comprising a hollow piston rod having a ball and socket joint at its lower end, a ball member of a universal joint slidably mounted on said piston rod, a socket in which said ball member is seated, a cylinder mounted in the top of the ball member, and a hollowr resilient piston mounted on said piston rod in said cylinder, and means for expanding said piston against the inner surface of .said cylinder to form a tight joint, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof- I have signed my name in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

` RICHARD LIEBAU.

Witnesses: i'

' Ronn'r P. REID,

LANSING VAN AUKEN.

1912, upon the application ol Richard Liebau, ot Watervliet, New York, for -an Vehicles, an error'appears in the printed specification requiring` ..anrrectiou as follows: Page 2, line`67, for the referencenumeral 28aY read 25?, auditiiat tbc said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may/conform to the record of4 the'case in Signed and sealed'this 31st day of December, A. D., 1912.

c. c. siLLiNGs,

Acting' Commissione?" of Patents. 

